Gordon McKinlay

I currently work with schools in school improvement, I lead the development in ICT across the local authority area and I develop approaches to learning in all our schools’ post 16 curricula and provide additional support for learning. I enjoy seeing a project move from its embryonic state through to full implementation with effective evaluation of the outcomes.

At school, I enjoyed all things to do with Physics and Maths, particularly anything to do with problem solving. I found the atmosphere and ethos of Strathclyde very positive and enjoyed my time there hugely.

After leaving Strathclyde, I completed the PGCE in Physics and Maths at Jordanhill College. I became a Physics teacher in Grovepark High School in Greenock in 1986. After four years there, the school closed and I moved to Wellington Academy, Greenock. By this time, I was teaching both Physics and Computing due to the rise in this subject area. In 1991, I was seconded to a national ICT staff development project under the auspices of TVEI. In 1992, I became Principal Teacher of Computing at Greenock Academy. During my time there, I was involved in a number of national initiatives. This included working as a national trainer and writer for Higher Still, the development of science data logging software for djb microtech and as a Principal Assessor for SQA. In 2002, I was seconded to the assessment coordinator for Inverclyde Council. In November 2003, I became education adviser with Renfrewshire Council.

For the first few years of my career in teaching, I was still heavily involved in the subject matter of physics, albeit at school level. In more recent years I would say that the problem solving and project development techniques which I currently rely on so heavily all stem from what I learned studying physics at university.

Away from work, I am a leader in our local church and a volunteer within Scripture Union. I play the guitar, enjoy photography, and am a radio amateur.